Five Years to Make Up For and a Lifetime to Continue
by JMolover13
Summary: Regina was in love with a stable girl named Danielle. She can't bring herself to tell Emma how she feels.


**Anonymous asked you: Prompt: In FTL Daniel was not always a boy but a girl that Regina loved so much named Danielle but Cora does not approve of Regina being lesbian at all. In Storybrooke, Regina is secretly in love with Emma but can not bring herself to admit the crush out loud.**

**AN: Sorry this one's taken so long, Anon! School and work have been keeping me a little too busy for my liking… Hope you Enjoy!**

Regina and Emma had long ago come to an agreement on Henry. Regina was actually eternally grateful for the way the blonde fought for her and Henry to stay together.

So much had happened in the five years since Emma came to town that she couldn't really believe half of it…

First there was the breaking of the curse.

Second the whole, 'finding out her mother was still alive and evil in the secret part of fairytale land that still existed'.

Third there was her redeeming herself for her wicked ways (and dealing with her addiction to black magic).

Fourth there was her son who did his damndest and successfully made her see the light.

Fifth, now this one's a little long, but at the same time all the explanation could fit under these next four words: there was still Storybrooke. And after Jefferson successfully set up a portal jumper, letting everyone go to and from the other world, there was the matter of new rules and new rulers… somehow everyone decided that Regina needed to stay Mayor though… everyone that had lived in Storybrooke had grown to respect over the 28 years of the curse, and they knew that while they thought her evil that she was the best person for the job—that and after that whole fireball in the town hall incident to get her son back probably scared them all into voting for her…

That or Emma—which brings her to the Sixth and final thing that happened: Emma Swan.

She didn't know, or even realize that it had happened until it was far too late. She was completely head over heals in love with her son's mother.

She closed her eyes for a moment as she sat straight at her desk and put her hands flat on the surface. She let her mind wander:

~0~

"But mother, I love her!" Regina stood in front of Danielle, much like any young woman in love would do after the threat of a powerful parent.

Cora glared down into her daughter's eyes and spoke in a low, eerily calm tone, "Yes, I know." She looked behind her daughter to Danielle, "That's the problem." The older woman growled out.

Cora leaned in close to her daughter once more and before Regina could stop her, she was magicked to the other end of the small house that Regina had run to, to get away from the horrible woman. She tried to get up, but her mother's magic was strong and held her in place.

The menacing woman stood where her daughter had been moments before, intimdating—or trying to intimidate her stable girl, "I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do." She growled.

"Do whatever the hell you want!" The youngest brunette with those green, green eyes pierced the older woman's, "You're going to lose her no matter what you do!"

Cora had the gall to laugh at Danielle, "Well, enlighten me, stable girl…" She waved her hand and with a flash she was sitting on the dirty, lived-in couch that lined the wall of the small living room. Her arms were spread along the back and her legs were crossed, "Please?" She asked sarcastically.

Danielle glared at the witch and walked over to Regina to help her up, but when she couldn't move she looked back at her, "Release her!" She was knelt next to her lover and fiddled with the top of her boot.

"Or what? What could you possibly—?" The older woman had to give it to Danielle that she was never not surprising.

Danielle had pulled a knife from her boot and launched over the coffee table to the witch, placing the blade against her throat, "I SAID!..." She yelled the huffed out a sigh, "Release her." The green-eyed woman finished quietly.

"Very well." Cora waved her hand again and Regina was able to get up.

Just as the two lovers were holding hands once more, the witch made a pushing motion in the air and Danielle was pushed against the far wall. She was forced against it so hard the picture frame next to her fell, the glass shattered on the ground. She was a couple feet off the ground and when Cora clenched her fist, she lost her ability to breathe.

"Mother let her go!" Regina tried to tug on her mother's arms, but nothing phased the older woman.

Cora kept her fist clenched as she walked around the coffee table and a wooden rocker, "Your turn to answer my question, stable girl: Why do you think I'll lose her?"

Danielle knew that this was her last moment in life. She looked over to Regina, "I will always love you. I will always protect you no matter what you do. I want you to be happy, you hear me?"

"Why are you talking like that?... Danielle?!" Regina hadn't seen the look on her mother's eyes, which Danielle supposed was a good thing in the end.

Cora clenched her fist tight, reared it back and pushed it forward once more, effectively slamming Danielle harder into the wall, "ANSWER MY QUESTION DANIELLE!"

Danielle, once able to breathe again laughed in her face, "You keep me alive, we run away together to get the hell away from you. You kill me, she eventually pulls from you completely because you kill me, or she becomes more powerful than you and is able to walk away with no sense of fear… Way I see it, either way it goes, you're just a bitch that ruined her daughter's life because yours didn't turn out the way you wanted it to."

Cora walked the couple feet to close the gap between Danielle and herself, "You are nothing but a stable girl. Your drivel means nothing. You mean nothing. You will never mean anything, and Regina will quickly get over you."

"Well if I'm nothing but mass taking up space why are you going to rip my heart out and crush me to dust? Is it because you know I'm actually right? Because I've actually made a point and stood up to you?"

"No…" Regina whispered as she realized why Danielle was talking as she was, "Danielle!" She tried to run in between them, but it was too late. She knelt down next to her stable girl as her mother sprinkled the dust from her hand. She tried true love's kiss, knowing it wouldn't work, "Why have you done this?!" She had tears in her eyes.

"Danielle was not right for you, dear—"

"Not right? She was charming and noble and hardworking and honest and well-mannered—!"

"And a stable hand and low-class and inferior and trash and most importantly the WRONG GENDER! SHE WAS A GIRL, REGINA!"

~0~

Regina's mind raced with what happened the rest of that day. The many, many lashings she took for even looking in the general direction of another woman. She felt the hot tears race down the tracks on her cheeks. She felt some of the droplets land on her hand. She didn't know how long she'd been in there or when exactly the floodgates had opened, but she knew that the person on the other side of the door that clicked open was going to get a surprise with seeing her in the state she was.

Emma was laughing at something Ruby (who took it upon herself to become Regina's secretary after she saw the determination in both Regina and Emma's eyes for this to work) said as she walked in Regina's office without a care in the world. She'd been coming and going as she pleased for the last five years, nothing was going to stop her now… As she turned to see her son's mother's face, she her smile fell and she froze.

Concern quickly flooded her eyes as she kicked the door shut behind her and locked the door. She started walking over to the brunette, "What the hell happened?" She asked.

Regina shook her head and wiped her face, "Nothing."

"Something."

She shook her head once more, "No. Really nothing happened."

"Then why are you crying?" Emma asked softly as she knelt down, maneuvering the sword she'd had to wear since the curse broke (she also had to carry a gun, being Sheriff had become demanding for her in the first two years post-curse, but she was used to it now and really only carried them more for show… and because she looked like a badass) to avoid hitting the desk, at Regina's side after rounding the desk and looked up at her.

Regina slowly wiped her hand down her face. She instantly looked brand new, "I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about. I don't cry."

"Regina…" Emma was a little put out that the woman wasn't giving her anything to work with.

"Emma…" Regina mimicked her tone.

Emma stood up, "Fine. Don't tell me what's wrong… I'll find out eventually. I always do."

Regina saw the determined look in the blonde's eyes and knew that this was something she wasn't going to let go, "It…" She started then bowed her head so she didn't have to look at her, "It was just memories…"

Emma knit her brows, "Memories make you cry like that? Hell you were crying like you had just watched a combination of _My Sister's Keeper_, _A Walk to Remember_, _Crash_, _Ghost_, _PS I Love You_, _Stepmom_, _Armageddon_, _Marley & Me_, and that episode of _Friends_ when Ross and Rachel break up…" She knelt back down, "Now… I mean, I had a pretty bad childhood, but if yours makes you cry like that…" She didn't know how to finish it. She sat on her knee a moment longer and looked up at the brunette. Something inside her made her give in to her secret wants and desires of the last few years, and reach up to the brunette's cheek, "If you wanna talk… about anything… I'm here." She said softly, "You know that, right?"

Regina swallowed hard and nodded, barely moving her head. "I do." She quickly turned away from the blonde and pushed her hand away… even though her touch was the only thing she'd wanted since the curse broke.

The blonde knit her brows and stood up once more, looking around the room awkwardly, wishing that the infuriating woman would give her some sort of sign that she wanted her to… Instead all she got were buried glances from afar and confusing moments like the one she was in now… just when she thought she'd be getting somewhere, Regina'd push her away!

Regina glanced up at Emma once, twice and on the third time Emma was looking at her again. Her turned quickly and bit her lip, "What did you come here for, Sheriff? To annoy me?"

"No… I came to take you to lunch… I know you've been working your ass off lately and Henry told me this morning that you forgot not only your lunch but his as well." When Regina gave her a worried look, Emma put her hand up, "Relax I gave him lunch money. He was excited because it's popcorn chicken day, and I gave him enough for a cookies 'n cream cone too." She gave the brunette a wink.

"Great. Now he'll be hyped up on sugar for the rest of the day." She scolded the blonde.

"Hey, it's a week night…" She started to chuckle and raised her hands in surrender, "I don't have to deal with it."

"Do you know all the different ways I could kill you right now?" Regina asked in a faux-serious tone.

Emma laughed and leaned over, one hand on the desk, the other on the arm of Regina's chair, trapping the brunette, "Reggie, Reggie, Reginald, Regina…" She shook her head, "You've threatened me with that question countless times… I know it's an empty threat."

"Call me Reginald one more time and see what happens." The brunette sat forward, daring the blonde.

Emma laughed silently and shook her head, "I'm not gonna do that… I know that that threat is real! I remember what happened last time I took that challenge; I am not going to risk losing my voice for three and a half days again." She cocked her brow.

"Best three and a half days of my life." The brunette sat back in bliss.

Emma chuckled softly as she watched the brunette, "Come on Madam Mayor. Let's get you fed so you can take care of the town."

"Oh, alright." Regina stood up, expecting Emma to move, but she didn't.

Emma did hear the gulp Regina swallowed, but didn't let the smirk she wanted to give grace her face, instead she spoke softly, "You know anything you tell me will be kept in confidence…?" The mayor only nodded, "And you know that I won't judge you or ridicule you… That I'm just a pair of ears and arms that'll listen and on the off chance that the all-powerful Mayor Regina Mills needs a hug…? You know that right?" Regina nodded once more, "Good. Get your coat." She finally pushed from the brunette and let her gather her things.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Emma had been invading her space even more over the last three weeks. Not only that, but she has started inviting herself over every evening after work… At Regina wasn't sure if it was because Emma wanted to know what memory made her cry that much or if the blonde might actually return her secret, buried feelings. Though, it was made abundantly clear after Regina told her why she had been crying so hard—nothing detailed, that would have been torturous—just vague, 'My mother killed my lover, I was thinking of those last moments'. Emma stayed with her the entire night. She held her close and made her feel wanted… she hadn't felt wanted since Danielle… and that scared her half to death.

She sat at her desk once more. It was a Friday evening, and Emma had insisted that morning on dropping her off and picking her up in the patrol car—Regina knew she was in the patrol car because Emma knew that Regina wasn't going to touch the bug with a 39-and-a-half inch pole.

She couldn't help the smile that graced her face as she thought about the blonde and her charming, honest ways. She was so caught up with the blonde that she didn't see the puff of black smoke begin to form across the room.

"Well, my, my…" the voice startled Regina from her thoughts, "I haven't seen that look on your face in quite some time…" Regina glared daggers at the rooms other occupants, "Not since Daniel."

"Danielle, mother. Her name was Danielle." She didn't stand up to greet her, she only scooted her chair in more.

"Now, the story I know, and the story my grandson knows, _his_ name is _Daniel_."

"HE IS NOT YOUR GRANDSON!" Regina stood up, mad as hellfire. Her chair slammed against the wall.

"Now, dear… We both know that isn't true unless he's not your son." Cora picked invisible lent from her dress's shoulder as she spoke, "So, did you finally give the charming princess her son back?"

Regina grit her teeth, "Why are you here, mother?"

"What? A mother can't check in on her kinder? I abided the portal laws and everything…" She gave her daughter a menacing look.

"Why are you here, _mother_?" She asked again, this time with more force.

"Rumor has it that the Sheriff and the Mayor have been quite, shall we say… chummy lately…" Cora shrugged, "I just wanted to see it for myself."

"You'll find that the rumors are only rumors." Regina said, masking everything she felt as she looked at her mother, "You raised me to like men. I've only ever bedded men. I've only ever belonged to men." She recited the lines that her mother had grilled into her and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as she blinked a few too many times.

"Hey! Regina," Emma's laugh could be heard outside the door before she entered, "You will never guess what the hell just happened on my way over here!" The door to her office clicked and Emma started to enter, "Mrs. Potts and Lumiere—Oh…" Her happy face turned quickly to the angry badger face that Regina had once been on the receiving end of. She drew her sword and kept one hand behind her, gripping her gun. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to see my daughter, Sheriff." Cora acted as pleasant and wonderful as she had the first time Emma met her.

"Regina doesn't want to see you." She cautiously made her way over the younger brunette, sword gripped tightly in her hand, "You okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine, Sheriff." Regina waved her off.

"Regina—"

"I said I'm fine!" Her tone was cold and she didn't give the blonde savior another glance.

"Yeah, I can see that." Emma turned to the other woman. "Why can't you just leave her alone? Can't you see that you've done enough damage? I mean, it's pretty clear that you've lost whatever you think binds you together! She pulled away from you after she couldn't handle it and she made this town to prove not only how much more powerful than you she is, but she made it to get away from you!" Emma wasn't sure where the strength to stand up to the epitome of evil came from, but she liked the feeling it gave her.

Cora gave Emma a look, "What did you just say?"

"I said that you lost her! So let her stay lost! She's done a hell of a lot better on her own than she ever would have with you, you crazy bitch!" Emma was immediately thrust against the wall behind her and Regina, unable to breathe thanks to the invisible forces of Regina mother.

Regina turned and saw what her mother had done to the blonde then turned back around to face the wicked woman, "Let her go, mother!" The only thing that happened was Emma dropped her sword. Regina turned to see the blonde almost purple from lack of oxygen. Regina immediately threw her hand up and pinned her mother against the far wall. With her other hand, she motioned for Emma's sword to be pointed at the mother's heart. She squeezed her hand as tight as she could, not letting her mother breathe, the same treatment she gave Emma, "I said!... Let her go."

Cora's fist fell open and Emma was dropped into her desk chair, where she immediately began gasping at the air. Once seeing that Emma was alright, she turned back to her mother, "I should have your heart."

"Regina n—" Emma coughed, "No…"

"Emma." Regina turned and gave her a sickly sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Do me a favor and shut up." She turned back to her mother. "I should have your heart." She said again and angled the sword and pushed it just enough to scare the older woman.

She felt a hand on the small of her back, "Regina don't do this. You're better than this."

"No… I'm not. I killed my father, it seems suiting I should kill my mother…"

Emma breathed out, "That is so fucked up…" Before she shook her head, "Listen to me, Regina… You have her. She knows that you can end her with the flick of a wrist. She knows that you will always be able to end her with the flick of the wrist… Wouldn't you rather she live in fear of you and never come here again than kill her? What's the fun in killing her? Boom. She's dead… there's so sweet, sweet revenge that you deserve to have in that…"

Regina tilted her head, "And you said I was fucked up…" the brunette had released her hold slightly on her mother.

The woman had gained enough energy to push on her daughter's magic and free herself.

"Regina, your powers have grown." Cora's voice showed how impressed she was, "But your distraction for obnoxious girls hasn't." The oldest woman launched Emma's sword at the other two.

"Regina, look out!" Emma, for the second time, pushed Regina out of her impending doom and took the hit for her.

"Oh, she's run through…" Cora's mock sincerity only egged her daughter on, "So sad." She came to stand next to Regina as they looked at Emma with the sword running through her chest. "Maybe _this_ time you'll understand." She said in a purely evil tone.

Emma took three gasping breaths and stared at Regina, "I have…" She whispered and took two more, "Always…" this time she took in as deep a breath as she possibly could, "Loved you." She continued with shallow gasps, "Ever since I…" two breaths, "First saw you…" one more, "Running out to…" another deep breath, "To hug Henry…" She smiled as she closed her eyes a moment and took three evening breaths, "I knew I was in trouble…" two deep gulps of air, "Because you were…" one more, "You were so… beautiful." She looked her eyes on the younger brunette and took in the deepest possible breath, "I have always loved you." She got it out once more before she stopped talking.

Regina saw Emma's life quickly begin to wane. Her eyes narrowed and her upper lip curled in anger. She turned to her mother and shoved her hand in the woman's chest then yanked out her heart. She smirked wickedly as she looked at the pained look on her mother's face, "You know what this means? I own you mother. You do everything I say, or this…" She squeezed harshly, "Will be crushed to dust. I only have two commands for you to live out your life in peace in the other realm." She bent over and took her mother's face in her hand and tilted it up. Her eyes dilated. This was a spell she'd never tried before, but she hoped that it would work… if it did, then her mother would do exactly as she says exactly when she finishes her commands it be it both literally or the original way the words are intended, "You are to never come after your heart alone, with a troop, Calvary or army, or send someone to try to retrieve it. And you will _never_ see, smell, feel, or sense me or any of the people I love again, in fact, you will go to the farthest corner of the other realm and live as solitary a life as possible. Have I made myself crystal clear?" Regina's eyes stayed dilated, and when her mother didn't answer, she squeezed the heart in her hand. "Have I made myself clear, mother?!"

"Yes!" Cora said finally in utter pain.

Regina picked her mother up to her feet and walked a couple feet from her, her eyes going back to normal.

"Regina?" Cora was looking around. "Regina?" The oldest witch began smoking black smoke as if about to poof out of there, "Regina?!" She yelled this time, but quickly faded away to the farthest corner of the other realm.

"Goodbye mother." She smirked wickedly and threw the heart she held in her hand on her desk.

"Woah…" Was whispered behind her and Emma's wide eyes were on the spot that Cora had been standing at.

Regina quickly ran back over to her, "I'm going to get you better. You cannot die on me, okay?" She started searching her mind for a spell that would save the blonde's life. "Damn it.. I… I can't think of a spell!"

Emma took in a few ragged breaths and when the woman started to get up—to pace, Emma was sure about this—she grabbed her hand, "Do you love me?"

"What?... I…" Regina stared into Emma's fading eyes.

"Damn it, woman…" She grit out and took in another few gasps of air, "If you love me…" She stared into the brown orbs as she breathed, "Then kiss me." She took a few more short breaths, "Everyday I've been," one rather ragged breath came from her lips, "told," one deep breath, "the true love's kiss…"

"Is the most powerful magic of all." Regina had tears in her eyes and nodded as she leaned down to Emma and pressed her lips against the blonde's.

Nothing epic outside of the room happened, no shockwave across the land, but Emma's sword managed to pull itself back out of Emma's body completely clean and sheathe itself, and the through-and-through began patching itself quickly. Regina pushed Emma on her back and laid on top of her, deepening the kiss.

Emma pulled away for air. Her head fell back against the floor and she smiled as she sighed.

"What?"

Emma shook her head, "All this time we could have been together..."

Regina nodded, "Yes" her tone was sad, "I just… couldn't bring myself to tell you because I didn't want to risk… Well, what just happened…"

"Well that's just another kick in the ass thanks to the wicked bitch that is your mother…" Emma took Regina's face and stroked her cheek, "But you don't have hide anymore… She can't get to us now, can she?"

Regina smiled and shook her head, "No, I don't have to hide anymore… except maybe from your parents."

Emma shrugged, "They know that I'm in love you…" At Regina's surprised reaction, she said, "I was getting tired of them asking when I was going to start dating or if I was secretly dating behind their backs and the normal parents/child embarrassing conversation type things… So, I just yelled it out 'cause I was frustrated… That is six hours I will never get back again…" She thought back to that night then looked at her, "Long story already told now shortened: My parents won't be an issue…" She bit her lip.

Regina smiled and kissed her cheek close to her ear, "Now, Sheriff, tell me if this is a little presumptuous, but you will be moving in with your son and me, will you not?" She kissed her ear, "Because the way I see it, we have five years to make up for and a lifetime to continue…" She trailed kisses down to the curve between Emma's neck and shoulder.

Emma moaned and brought her face back up so she could look at the brunette, "Madam Mayor, I do believe that you have a valid point, but can we just make-out here for a little while? I was just run through, and you just took your mom's heart and it was just a whole ordeal and really… I'd just like to make-out a little longer…"

Regina chuckled and stared into the green eyes before her, "Of course we can." She leaned down and captured her lips once more.

Neither of them heard the door open once more and the subtle sounds of music playing a little too loudly through headphones. Neither of them heard the sound of the files dropped on her desk or the gasp that came from the person that walked in. Ruby tilted her head to get a better view and make sure that she saw what she thought she saw, "It's about damn time…" She said quietly as she walked out of the office and closed the door as softly as possible.


End file.
